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Speed Killed My Cousin

Speed Killed My Cousin is a timely, moving new play about an African American woman soldier who returns from Iraq with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The story unfolds as Debra, the main character, drives down the Long Island Expressway (L.I.E.) in New York. As she struggles with flashbacks and memories, she tries to talk with her father about his experiences in the Vietnam war, and is visited by his cousin — a Vietnam veteran who died mysteriously in a car crash shortly after his return. She also remembers her mother, and the women she left behind in Iraq, some of whom did not survive. Memories and flashbacks unfold before her, and in her rear-view mirror, as she drives. Ultimately she must decide whether to let go of the wheel, or to choose life. Since 1969, CBT has told stories of empowerment, celebrated African American culture and revealed hidden stories. The Carpetbag Theatre ensemble features Ashley Wilkerson, Bert Tanner, Linda Parris-Bailey, Starr Releford and Will Dorsey.